For pet parents whose dog has separation anxiety, the issue can feel like an insurmountable one. Thankfully, that’s really not the case! Like most dog behavior and training issues, it’s just about knowing what to do so you can help your pup.
Ideally, you’ll want to start practicing “alone time” when your dog is a puppy so that she gets used to it at a young–and more malleable–age. But if you’re starting later, or you didn’t get your dog until she was already an adult, that’s okay! You’ll still do the same things…it just tends to take longer with an adult dog.
When you leave your dog, be sure she has something to keep her occupied. As we like to say, dogs don’t watch movies, play video games, or read books. So you have to help her develop a hobby!
A chewtoy hobby is the perfect one for a pup, particularly if you want her to enjoy being left alone. Leave your pup in their closed crate (or their room, wherever they spend their time alone) with a yummy food-stuffed chewtoy like a Kong. Start out by only leaving her for a few seconds, then coming back. Don’t leave her for too long at a time! Gradually increase the amount of time she’s alone, but don’t go too fast. Let your dog set the pace.
Recently, we had a client whose adolescent dog couldn’t stand being alone for any length of time. He would cry, get stressed, and destroy things. By practicing real-time during their session, we were able to show the clients that their dog could learn to enjoy his time alone.
When we started out, the pup didn’t like being alone for 10 seconds. By the end of the 90-minute session, the dog was enjoying his alone time for 8 minutes at a stretch!
If your pup needs more help with separation anxiety (or any other issue), Contact Us to apply for an In-Person Dog Training Session!
